Jorea Marple was carrying out numerous recommendations from the much-discussed audit of West Virginia's public schools system when she was fired as superintendent, by Board of Education members eager to signal to Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and the Legislature that they supported the extensive review of education spending, policy and organization.

Glenda Ritz, the newly elected Democratic state superintendent of public instruction, isn't going to let a state government controlled by Republicans stop her from making changes she believes will improve Indiana's schools.

Charter schools currently educate more than 40 percent of the District's children. Now, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson says she wants the ability to authorize charter schools within the traditional public school system.

State Board of Education member Gayle Manchin said Nov. 20 that the need to change the deep-seeded culture at West Virginia's public school system prompted her vote last week to fire Superintendent Jorea Marple.